Department for Transport

Motor Vehicles: Advertising

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban the advertisement of high-polluting vehicles.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has no plans to ban advertising of high polluting vehicles. However, the Government is going further and faster to decarbonise transport by phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and, from 2035, all new cars and vans must be zero emission at the tailpipe. Coupled with the new phase out dates we have pledged a further £2.8 billion package of measures to support industry and consumers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles. The point-of-sale environmental label for new cars has recently been redesigned to present vehicle-specific environmental information in a clear, easy to understand and highly visible way. This ensures that consumers are provided with the right information at the right time to make informed purchasing decisions. A new ‘running costs’ section helps to emphasise the savings possible from electric and the most fuel-efficient cars. In addition, the Vehicle Certification Agency hosts a variety of tools that inform consumers of emissions data for new and used cars.

Tunnels: West Yorkshire

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatprogress they have made on their assessment ofproposals for (1) the preservation of the Queensbury Tunnel, and (2) the use of thattunnel as part of a cycleway between Queensbury and Keighley.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department has agreed to provide up to £1 million for two studies to inform a decision on possible future uses of the tunnel. The studies are considering what would need to be done, and how much it would cost, to return the tunnel to a safe and usable condition, as well as options for possible new cycling and walking routes in the area. The work is being overseen by a steering group comprising representatives from the Department for Transport, Highways England, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council. Both studies are due to be complete by March 2021.

Aviation: Air Pollution

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible (1) technological, and (2) regulatory, solutions available to help prevent the formation of aircraft contrails.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recently produced a report titled “Updated analysis of the non-CO2 climate impacts of aviation and potential policy measures pursuant to EU Emissions Trading System Directive Article 30(4)” for the European Commission, which identified three policies that could be implemented to prevent the formation of aircraft contrails: a reduction in aromatics in jet fuel; mandatory use of sustainable fuel; and avoidance of ice-supersaturated airspace. The UK is pushing internationally for investigation of how to reduce aromatics in jet fuel and plans to consult domestically on a sustainable aviation fuel mandate. However, significant uncertainties remain meaning that policies which risk increasing aviation CO2 emissions, such as rerouting aircraft, cannot be taken forward with confidence that aviation's total climate impact would be reduced. The Government will continue to keep this issue under review and adjust its policy where necessary. I will place a copy of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency report in the libraries of both Houses.

Aviation: Air Pollution

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the regulatory framework for climate impact offsetting to account for both the direct and indirect climate impact of aviation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As a contracting state of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) the UK will participate in the globally agreed Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) from January 2021. Under the scheme, aeroplane operators on routes between participating states will be required to offset the CO2 emissions above 2019 levels by purchasing and cancelling approved offset credits. Currently, CORSIA only applies to CO2 emissions. Due to the uncertainties surrounding aviation’s non-CO2 climate impacts, ICAO does not include these in its climate policies. The UK played an instrumental role in agreeing CORSIA through ICAO and continues to negotiate for greater environmental integrity within the scheme.

Aviation: Air Pollution

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the climate from indirect warming caused by condensation trails from cruising aircraft.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The recent publication “The Contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing for 2000 to 2018” by Lee et al., 2020 presents the most up to date scientific analysis of aviation’s climate impacts, including contrails. The publication shows that contrail cirrus formation accounts for a large proportion of aviation's climate impact, however large uncertainties remain in determining the climate effects of contrail formation. As stated in the 2018 Aviation 2050 consultation, the Government will continue to keep non-CO2 emissions from aviation under review and adjust its policy as more evidence becomes available. I will place a copy of “The Contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing for 2000 to 2018” by Lee et al., 2020 in the libraries of both Houses.

Aviation: Air Pollution

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which regulatory arrangements to limit the impact on the climate of aviation once the transition period for the UK’s departure from the EU has ended will be sufficiently collaborative across adjoining airspaces.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government remains committed to leading ambitious and concerted international action to combat the contribution of aviation to climate change. At the end of the Transition Period, EU airspace regulations covering requirements on flight efficiency will be retained as UK law. The UK will also establish a UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that supports our world leading climate ambition. The UK ETS will include aviation and impose surrendering obligations on the following routes from day one: UK domestic flights, flights departing the UK to aerodromes in the European Economic Area (EEA), and flights between the UK and Gibraltar.

Northern Transport Acceleration Council

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the meeting of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council on 9 December, (1) what was the agenda, (2) who attended the meeting and which bodies they represented, (3) what decisions were made, (4) whether the meeting was streamed, (5) whether the minutes have been published, and (5) was a press statement issued; and when the next meeting of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council will take place.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Northern Transport Acceleration Council provides the North’s leaders with regular and more direct access to Ministers to discuss priority transport and infrastructure projects. The agenda items for the meeting on the 9 December included the outcome of the recent Spending Review, the role of the Department’s Acceleration Unit, reform to the Green Book and the Integrated Rail Plan. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary of State and was attended by Transport Ministers as well as representatives from each of the local transport authorities in the North, John Cridland in his capacity as President of the Council and the Chair of NP11. The Northern Transport Acceleration Council is an advisory forum and whilst it is intended to speed up key decision making, the Council itself does not have decision-making powers. A press statement was issued with regards to the Northern Transport Acceleration Council, however the meeting was not streamed nor have the minutes been published. A date for the next Council meeting has not yet been arranged.

Northern Transport Acceleration Council

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is (1) the purpose, (2) the terms of reference, and (3) the annual operating budget, of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council; what staff support this council has and who provides this; and what costs this council has incurred so far.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Northern Transport Acceleration Council is an advisory forum to provide the North’s leaders with regular and more direct access to Ministers to discuss priority transport and infrastructure projects, utilising their local expertise and knowledge to drive forward growth and development in the North of England. It is intended to provide a mechanism for speeding up key decision making and rapidly progressing projects, supporting the Secretary of State in his role as the Northern Powerhouse Minister. The Council does not have an operating budget in and of itself as it functions as an advisory forum to progress and unblock existing priority transport projects – it is not vested with its own decision-making or funding powers. The Council is supported by a Secretariat of DfT staff currently based in the North. Beyond the time of these existing staff, the work of the Council has not incurred any additional costs to date.

Shipping: Coronavirus

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent seafarers' employment contracts from being extended because ofCOVID-19.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK strongly supports the United Nation General Assembly’s resolution on international cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers to support global supply chains and the International Labour Organization’s resolution on maritime labour issues, both in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published an information note which aims to help address serious concerns about seafarer wellbeing arising due to COVID-19 restrictions. The MCA considers any request for an extension of a Seafarer Employment Agreement on a case by case basis. An extension will only be given if they are completely satisfied that any health, safety or wellbeing concerns are being addressed and only with the consent of the seafarer.

Department of Health and Social Care

Learning Disability: Coronavirus

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people with learning disabilities do not face discrimination as a result of restrictions put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: Wherever possible we have made exemptions to restrictions, to enable people with a learning disability to continue to access the support they need to live fulfilling lives, whilst balancing this with the need to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19.We have recognised the need for support groups for disabled people to continue and formally organised groups of up to 15 can continue to meet, including day services. Government guidance is clear that people who are unable to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability are exempt from having to wear one. We have engaged with disability charities and other stakeholders using multiple channels to communicate this message to the general public. On 1 December we also published an accessible guidance online regarding the local restriction tiers.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Coronavirus

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are takingto protect apprentices whose employment has ceased as a consequence of COVID-19.

Baroness Berridge: We are committed to supporting apprentices who have been made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, including enabling them wherever possible to continue and complete their apprenticeships.We launched the Redundancy Support Service for Apprentices which provides clear, accessible advice and guidance to individuals, as well as a vacancy sharing scheme to help apprentices find new opportunities with employers. Over 1,000 employers have submitted opportunities to the vacancy sharing service for redundant apprentices.We have also amended legislation to enable more apprentices to complete their apprenticeship in the event of redundancy. In addition to funding an apprentice’s training to completion if they have less than six months of their apprenticeship remaining at the point of redundancy, we have extended this provision to include any apprentice who has completed 75% or more of their apprenticeship at the point of redundancy.Apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to recover and grow. In the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years, we are making available £2.5 billion for apprenticeships in England, double that spent in the 2010-11 financial year. To help employers offer new apprenticeships, including to those that have been made redundant, employers are now able to claim £2,000 for every new apprentice they hire under the age of 25, and £1,500 for those 25 and over, until 31 March 2021. We are extending the incentive payments available to employers taking on new apprentices until the end of this financial year, boosting job creation and supporting employers to invest in skills as the economy recovers.

Training

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the rights of local communities to make decisions on the design and delivery of skills development programmes.

Baroness Berridge: We have devolved approximately 50% of the Adult Education Budget to 7 Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority, enabling those regions to have more control over design and development of adult skills and training programmes so that they meet better local needs.We will set out our future plans for post-16 education providers in the Further Education White Paper, which is soon to be published. As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education set out earlier this year, this will give colleges a lead role in developing skills in their areas – through working with small, local businesses to support the introduction of new technology and processes and offering training in emerging skills, with high quality qualifications based on employer-led standards, they will drive an ambitious agenda that responds to local economic need.

National Curriculum Tests

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government who sets the date for SATS examinations; why the date for such examinations has been set for the week beginning 10 May 2021; what assessment they have made of the impact of such examinations taking place in that week on those who will be celebrating Eid in that same period; what action they are taking to support any (1) schools, (2) families, and (3) children, affected; and what plans they have to change that date to avoid any such clash.

Baroness Berridge: The Standard and Testing Agency is responsible for the timetabling of National Curriculum assessments. The Key Stage 2 assessments are set for the week beginning 10 May 2021 to maximise teaching time in Year 6, whilst ensuring enough time for marking to take place and for results to be returned to schools before the end of the summer term.In 2021, the Key Stage 2 tests will take place from Monday 10 May to Wednesday 12 May inclusive. The Department is aware that Eid al-Fitr will take place in the same week as these assessments and understands that, given the significance of Eid al-Fitr, Muslim pupils may be absent from school. Schools with pupils unable to sit their assessments on the dates specified in the statutory timetable can make an application for timetable variation (TTV) to enable these pupils, or the class as a whole, to take a test at a different time, or on a different day, from the rest of the cohort: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/key-stage-2-tests-varying-the-test-timetable. Where pupils are unable to sit a test on the statutory date because they are observing Eid, this would be a valid reason to utilise the TTV process.

Apprentices

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with (1) the Confederation of British Industry, and (2) Trades Union Congress, about apprenticeships.

Baroness Berridge: We meet regularly with employers, providers, and other stakeholders to explore how we can best support businesses to use apprenticeships to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, meets with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and other business representative organisations each quarter to discuss various aspects of apprenticeships and skills policy.Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a member of the department’s Apprenticeships Stakeholder Board, a diverse group of apprenticeship employers, providers, business representative organisations, and other stakeholders. Through this forum, the TUC provides constructive feedback on the impact of apprenticeship policy and discusses the future strategy of the programme.We continue to listen to and work with the CBI, the TUC and other stakeholders on all aspects of apprenticeship policy and delivery to ensure the programme continues to deliver for employers of all sizes.

Ministry of Justice

Prosecutions: Coronavirus

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards they have put in place to ensure equitable outcomes for prosecutions using the single justice procedure introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: No additional safeguards have been put in place for Single Justice Procedure cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A case dealt with under the Single Justice Procedure is dealt with in the same way as any other case, except that a single magistrate can deal with it (rather than two) and the hearing need not be in public. Therefore, the magistrate must comply with the same legislative safeguards as all other proceedings, and the Sentencing Council Sentencing Guidelines apply in the same way.In addition, the Single Justice Procedure has a number of further safeguards in place. All defendants can veto the procedure and insist on a hearing in open court. In addition, the magistrate can decide to refer the case to open court if they deem the case is not appropriately dealt with using the Procedure. As with any conviction and sentence by a magistrates’ court, the defendant has the right of appeal against conviction and sentence to the Crown Court.If a defendant was unaware of the proceedings they are entitled to make a statutory declaration which revokes the conviction and recommences the proceedings.

Julian Assange

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) HMP Belmarsh, and (2) healthcare providers, about the provision of care forJulian Assange; andwhat assessment they have made of the case for reviewing his care.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The MoJ does not hold any information in relation to the provisions of health care to Mr Julian Assange. This is because NHS England and the Welsh Government have primary responsibility for the commissioning of healthcare services in public prisons. The commitment to working with health and justice partners is set out in the National Partnership Agreement for Prison Healthcare in England, which was published in April 2018. Prisoners do, however, receive the same healthcare and treatment as anyone outside of the prison. NHS practitioners use their professional judgement to ensure that a high level of care and confidentiality is provided to prisoners that is equal to that care given to patients in the wider community. HMPPS is committed through the National Partnership Agreement to safeguarding the public health of those in prison.Responsibility for Mr Assange's healthcare rests with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Healthcare providers work in close partnership with Prison Staff to deliver the best care possible to all Prisoners. Due to patient confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to comment on the care of individual Prisoners.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

India: Protest

Lord Singh of Wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of India's response to the protests against the proposed reforms on the sale, pricing and storage of farm produce; and what representations they have made to that government about its response.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is conscious of concerns in India, and from communities in the UK, about India's agricultural reforms. The Foreign Secretary discussed protests on this issue with his counterpart, Minister of Exterior Affairs Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during his visit to India 14-17 December.Our position is that the right to gather lawfully and demonstrate a point of view is common to all democracies. Democratic governments also have the power to enforce law and order if a protest crosses the line into illegality.

International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult with (1) civil society, (2) faith groups, and (3) other humanitarian actors, before drafting any legislation to amend the International Development(Official Development Assistance Target)Act 2015.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In light of economic and fiscal circumstances the Government has taken the difficult but temporary decision to spend 0.5 per cent of our national income next year on official development assistance, rather than the usual 0.7 per cent.The Government will continue to monitor the fiscal circumstances in order to plan accordingly. We are working closely and consulting with our partners on the on impacts and priorities of our ODA spend, including through roundtables with Civil Society Organisations such as one recently chaired by Lord Ahmad. Further similar meetings are planned in early 2021.

International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to including a sunset clause in any legislation amending the International Development(Official Development Assistance Target)Act 2015.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The seismic impact of the pandemic has forced us to take tough decisions, including temporarily reducing our aid budget to 0.5 percent of our national income. Our intention is to return to this level as soon as the fiscal situation allows.

Overseas Aid

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to call for the reform of the international aid spending rules set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary has been clear that we remain committed to the Official Development Assistance (ODA) rules set by the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC).The UK has led the way in working with others to modernise the rules where they are out of step with modern development challenges. We continue to review priorities for further reform and maintain active engagement with the DAC and DAC members.

Overseas Aid: Impact Assessments

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to produce and publish an impact assessment for the proposed reduction in the UK’s spending on official development assistance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is introducing a new strategic approach which will allow us to drive greater impact from our ODA spending around a set of strategic objectives - even if the budget is reduced. The Government will continue to robustly monitor the impact of our aid programmes through annual reviews of our programmes, independent evaluations and input from assessments made by Independent Commission on Aid Impact (ICAI) which are all routinely published.

Lesotho: Environment Protection

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the Legatum Institute The Legatum Prosperity Index 2020, published on 16 November, that Lesotho is among the top 10 worst countries in the world in the natural environment category.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned by the ongoing impact of climate variability upon the prosperity of Lesotho, as well as the Legatum Prosperity Index's findings for natural environment ranking Lesotho as 166 out of 167 countries. Climate and Natural Resources have been a pillar of the UK Government's strategic approach to Africa since 2018, with an increased focus on these issues across the continent. We recognise how important natural resources are for Lesotho's long-term prosperity, and that is why climate change and environmental issues are key priorities for the recently re-opened British High Commission in Maseru.The UK is supporting Lesotho to improve the management of their shared water resources, helping people to cope with the impacts of existing climate variability through the FCDO's regional Transboundary Water Management Programme. This is supporting efforts to respond to the urgent issue of wetland degradation across Southern Africa, and the declining capacity at the source of the Orange-Senqu river to retain, regulate and sustain base water flows, which are crucial for local livelihoods and for water supply within Lesotho and South Africa. The UK also recently announced a £7 million Southern Africa COVID-19 Humanitarian and Remittance Relief Fund, which will support countries across the region hit by the combined effects of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rwanda: Politics and Government

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the Legatum Institute The Legatum Prosperity Index 2020, published on 16 November, that Rwanda is among the top 10 most improved countries in the world in the categories of (1) governance, (2) investment environment, and (3) market access and infrastructure.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Good governance, a sound investment environment and strong market access and infrastructure are all important for economic growth. As indicated by the findings of the report, Rwanda has made good progress in many of these areas over the past ten years. UK support has helped strengthen the Rwanda Revenue Authority to dramatically improve tax collection, create a national land title system to support investment, support Government to deliver an electronic system reducing the time and cost of clearing goods across borders, and increase the involvement of citizens in some areas of policymaking. These investments also create opportunities for UK trade and support Rwanda to exit from aid. We continue to regularly raise with the Government of Rwanda the need to match its impressive developmental progress with increased political and civic rights for citizens.

Palestinians: Children

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the rights of children under the Convention on the Rights of the Child of reports that the Israel Defence Force is conducting night time raids on families in Palestine; and what representations they have made to the government of Israel about respecting such rights as a signatory to that Convention.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: While we recognise Israel's legitimate need to deploy security measures, we encourage them to deploy these in a way which minimises tension. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children.

West Bank: Demolition

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of demolitions by the government of Israel of Palestinian buildings on the economic prospects for Palestinians; and what steps they are taking, if any, to protect any such prospects from the risk of such demolitions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are seriously concerned by increasing rates of demolition of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process. The UK is focused on preventing demolitions from happening in the first place through our legal aid programme, which supports Bedouin communities and Palestinians facing demolition or home eviction in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes.

Hong Kong: Human Rights

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, if any, to protect the rights of people living in Hong Kong.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the situation in Hong Kong and has declared two breaches of the Joint Declaration in the last six months. In response to imposition of the National Security Law, the Government has put in place a new bespoke immigration path for BN(O)s, suspended our extradition treaty with Hong Kong, and extended our arms embargo on mainland China to Hong Kong. On 13 November, following the decision to arbitrarily remove elected pro-democracy legislators from their positions, the FCDO Permanent Under Secretary summoned the Chinese Ambassador to register our deep concerns.We continue to bring together our international partners to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and to hold China to their international obligations. At the UN Human Rights Council in June the UK delivered a joint statement on behalf of 28 countries raising China's assault on Hong Kong's autonomy and rights and freedoms. At the Council in September, the UK reiterated these serious concerns in a national statement, and the UK joined a statement on these issues at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Third Committee on 6 October; 39 countries supported the statement, a significant increase from June. On 18 November, the Foreign Secretary issued a statement with his Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US counterparts, urging China to re-consider its actions against Hong Kong's elected legislature.

Sub-saharan Africa: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that countries in sub-Saharan Africa will have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to rapid, equitable access to safe and effective vaccines as demonstrated by our strong support for the Access for COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. The UK has contributed up to £813 million to the ACTAccelerator partners. This includes the UK's commitment of up to £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines, of which the UK is the largest bilateral donor. Our commitment to the COVAX AMC will support access to COVID-19 vaccines for up to 92 developing countries, including in sub-Saharan Africa, by contributing to the supply of 1 billion doses in 2021, and vaccinations for up to 500 million people (subject to vaccines successfully securing stringent regulatory approvals).

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Sri Lanka about human rights in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Sri Lanka is a human rights priority country for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and we regularly raise our concerns about the human rights situation with the Government of Sri Lanka. These concerns include the increased harassment of civil society, the militarisation of civilian functions, and the government's withdrawal of support for the UN Human Rights Council resolution on post-conflict truth, accountability and reconciliation. I have raised concerns on several occasions with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, most recently during calls on 4 and 5 November. The UK's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka also regularly raises human rights issues in her discussions with the government of Sri Lanka.

India: Human Rights

Lord Hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the other permanent members of the UN Security Council about (1) the four letters written by the UN rapporteurs on torture, arbitrary detentions, extra-judiciary and custodial killings in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir to the government of India, and (2) the absence of any response to date by that government to those letters.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the letters written by UN Special Rapporteurs. Kashmir was last discussed by the UN Security Council in August. The UK recognises that there are human rights concerns in India-administered Kashmir. We encourage all states to ensure domestic laws are in line with international standards. Any allegation of human rights violations or abuse is deeply concerning and must be investigated transparently, promptly and thoroughly. We raise our concerns with the Government of India where we have them. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary discussed Kashmir, among a number of issues, with the Indian External Affairs Minister on 15 December.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fishing Vessels

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the size of the UK Fishery Protection Squadron fleet that will be needed in the event that a trade agreement is not reached with the EU by 31 December.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) are prepared to respond to the challenges of controlling fisheries in English waters at the end of the transition period. The MMO is ready to deploy its assets, personnel and enforcement plan. As this is a devolved policy area, Defra and the MMO are working closely with the Devolved Administrations to ensure there is a consistent and robust UK-wide approach. In England, the MMO has assessed, and continues to assess, the number of maritime surveillance assets dedicated to fisheries protection in preparation for the end of the transition period. Current provision includes two MMO offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and two OPVs from the Royal Navy Overseas Patrol Squadron, with a further two Royal Navy OPVs available for surge capacity if required. This strong presence will deter against fisheries infringements, while also enabling our agencies to take robust action where they may occur. The MMO is extensively testing its end of transition period operational approach based on a range of potential scenarios, working closely with the Ministry of Defence, Department for Transport and Home Office as well as the Devolved Administrations, to ensure a comprehensive approach to maritime security.

Biodiversity and Climate Change

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they prioritise measures to address issues relating to (1) climate change, and (2) biodiversity; whether more priority is given to one over the other; and if so, how they decide the differing level of priority.

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they prioritise measures (1) to reduce carbon emissions, and (2) to conserve habitats; whether more priority is given to one over the other; and if so, how they decide the differing level of priority.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The climate and biodiversity crises are linked, and this Government believes they have to be tackled together. Globally, climate change is the third biggest driver of biodiversity loss, while biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation further exacerbate climate change - releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere and reducing our ability to adapt to a changing climate.As we develop our plans to deliver our world-leading net zero target at home, we will need to progress climate change and biodiversity objectives together. For example, we will need to balance land use change for mitigation purposes such as planting trees, with enhancing the natural environment and improving food security. Defra and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are working closely together to ensure that this balance is met.The Government has introduced significant new funding for nature restoration to address climate change, but this does not detract from our biodiversity goals - the funding is additional and complementary. We prioritise funding for ecosystems that provide the greatest contribution to our emissions targets, following the underlying science. Our assessment is that, on land, restoring degraded peatlands and appropriately creating and managing multi-purpose woodlands will offer the greatest benefits for tackling climate change, while also contributing to biodiversity goals, addressing these challenges together. Our Nature for Climate Fund is therefore providing £640 million over the course of this Parliament for the creation, restoration and management of woodland and peatland habitats.We have a range of funding streams that support conservation of other habitats and wider biodiversity goals. This includes agri-environment schemes and green recovery funds, where the contribution to biodiversity, as well as wider environmental outcomes, is used to prioritise funding.Research suggests that, globally, nature based solutions could provide up to a third of the most cost-effective carbon mitigation, but despite that, only around 3% of international climate finance is invested in nature. We believe there is a need for a significant increase in support for nature based solutions, which is why we have put nature at the heart of our climate ambitions – domestically and internationally.

Home Office

Migrant Workers: Visas

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to extend the visas of health and care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government recognises the vital contribution overseas NHS, health and social care workers have and continue to make in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.Earlier in the year we offered free visa extensions for key, frontline health professionals whose visas were due to expire between 31 March 2020 and 1 October 2020.On 20 November, we announced we will renew this offer for those eligible health professionals and their family dependants whose visas expire between 1 October 2020 until 31 March 2021.More details of this announcement can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-more-health-workers-to-benefit-from-visa-extensions

Asylum: Reform

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the UK’s asylum system.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office is working to transform the broken asylum system and processes: the work will simplify, streamline and digitise processes, ensuring that asylum claimants are treated quickly, fairly and are supported, and that claims which do not qualify are rapidly identified and prepared for return.

Deportation: Offenders

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to remove foreign national offenders from the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: One of this Government’s key objectives is to protect the public by removing foreign national offenders who commit criminal offences and have no right to remain in the UK. Foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them. Since January 2019, we have removed 6,450 foreign national offenders from the UK.Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Every week we remove foreign criminals from the UK to different countries who have no right to be here. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have continued to return and deport foreign offenders and other immigration offenders where flight routes have been available to us, both on scheduled flights and charter flights.For non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, deportation will be pursued where it is conducive to the public good including where a person receives a custodial sentence of 12 months or more, commits an offence that caused serious harm or is a persistent offender. Currently, European Economic Area (EEA) nationals are deported in accordance with European Union (EU) law on the grounds of public policy or public security.The UK’s departure from the EU means that, in future, an EEA national who commits an offence after the end of the transition period (31 December 2020) will be considered under the same deportation thresholds that apply to non-EEA nationals.This Government’s priority is keeping the people of this country safe, and we make no apology for seeking to remove dangerous foreign criminals.

Deportation: Homelessness and Sleeping Rough

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter sent on 6 November by homelessnessorganisations about making homelessness and rough-sleeping a discretionary ground for deportation; and what steps they intend to take in response to the representations they have received.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The new Immigration Rule which makes provision for the refusal or cancellation of permission to stay in the UK on the basis of rough sleeping, will be used sparingly and only where individuals have refused support offers such as accommodation and are engaged in persistent anti-social behaviour.A person is expected to leave the UK if their leave is cancelled or refused. If they do not choose to leave voluntarily the Home Office may enforce their removal. They will not be subject to deportation action which is reserved for foreign national offenders with serious and persistent criminality as well as for reasons of national security.The new rule will not be used until guidance for decision-makers has been published.The Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are working together to encourage local authorities and approved charities to resolve the immigration status of eligible rough sleepers and unlock access to any benefits and entitlements that rough sleepers may be eligible for.

Refugees: Resettlement

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with local authorities about the commencement of their new, consolidated, global resettlement scheme and the resettlement of 5,000 refugees in one year at the conclusion of the Vulnerable Persons’ Resettlement Scheme; and what was the outcome of any such discussions.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We have been working closely with key domestic and international stakeholders on plans to safely resume UK resettlement arrivals against the backdrop of unprecedented restrictions and pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.As a result of this work, and as announced by Baroness Williams of Trafford in the House of Lords on 9 November, the UK will shortly restart UK resettlement arrivals to fulfil our commitment of resettling 20,000 refugees affected by the conflict in Syria under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) and we are working closely with partners to deliver this commitment.Due to the lead times for refugee arrivals, it is likely that we will see most refugees start to arrive early in the new year.Decisions regarding resettlement beyond the completion of this scheme are yet to be made and will need to take account of the impact of COVID-19 and the ongoing pressures on the asylum system. We have committed to a review of safe and legal routes to the UK. We are aware that the pause in resettlement has had an impact on our resettlement partners and will continue to work with them as future plans are developed.

Immigration: Sleeping Rough

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the new Immigration Rules applying from 1 January 2021, including those which make rough sleeping grounds for refusing and cancelling someone’s right to remain in the UK, do not deter people experiencing homelessness from accessing support.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The new Immigration Rule which makes provision for the refusal or cancellation of permission to stay in the UK on the basis of rough sleeping will be used sparingly, and only where individuals have refused support offers such as accommodation and are engaged in persistent anti-social behaviour.The Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are working together to encourage local authorities and approved charities to resolve the immigration status of eligible rough sleepers and unlock access to any benefits and entitlements that rough sleepers may be eligible for.

Refugees: Resettlement

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarksby Baroness Williams of Trafford on 22 July (HL Deb, col 2294) and the “pledge to resettle a further 5,000 vulnerable people seeking refuge, from not just Syria but anywhere in the world”, when theyestimate they will begin to resettle the 5,000 refugees pledged to occur within one year under the new global resettlement scheme.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK will shortly restart UK resettlement arrivals to fulfil our commitment of resettling 20,000 refugees affected by the conflict in Syria under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) and we are working closely with partners to deliver this commitment.Due to the lead times for refugee arrivals, it is likely that we will see most refugees start to arrive early in the new yearDecisions regarding resettlement beyond the completion of this scheme are yet to be made and will need to take account of the impact of COVID-19 and the ongoing pressures on the asylum system. We have committed to a review of safe and legal routes to the UK. We are aware that the pause in resettlement has had an impact on our resettlement partners and will continue to work with them as future plans are developed.

Asylum: Languages

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration An inspection of the Home Office’s use of language services in the asylum process, published on 11 November.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office have assessed the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s (ICIBI) report that was conducted between May to November 2019.The Department has accepted all three of the ICIBI’s recommendations and our formal response of 11 November 2020 has been published and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/response-to-an-inspection-of-the-home-offices-use-of-language-services-in-the-asylum-process

Asylum: Employment

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 3 November (HL9361), what plans they have to provide an update on when the review into the right to work of asylum seekers will be laid before the House.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The findings of the review will be announced once the work has been completed.

Immigration: Sleeping Rough

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between the Home Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about ensuringthat the new Immigration Rules applying from 1 January 2021, including those which make rough sleeping grounds for refusing and cancelling someone’s right to remain in the UK, do not deter people experiencing homelessness from accessing support.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The new Immigration Rule which makes provision for the refusal or cancellation of permission to stay in the UK on the basis of rough sleeping will be used sparingly, and only where individuals have refused support offers such as accommodation and are engaged in persistent anti-social behaviour.The Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are working together to encourage local authorities and approved charities to resolve the immigration status of eligible rough sleepers and unlock access to any benefits and entitlements that rough sleepers may be eligible for.

Borders: Digital Technology

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increased costs of the digital border system to monitor the movement of people and goods into and out of the UK arising from missing the initial deadline of March 2019.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Significant external factors over the last few years have inevitably required changes to the original delivery plans for the Digital Services at the Border programme as set out in 2014, for example, the decision to leave the EU, improvements in the Home Office’s approach to using information, and changes to the way that government handles data.The programme was reset in 2019 to help ensure the best chance of success, this included actions to strengthen the leadership team and put in place a clear plan of delivery.As part of the reset in 2019, the Digital Services at the Border Programme was extended for three years to complete in April 2022. The Home Office estimate the net additional costs that will be incurred by the programme resulting from the extension will be £173 million.

Undocumented Migrants

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of undocumented people in the UK; and what steps they are taking to ensure that any such people people are tested or treated for COVID-19.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: As you will appreciate, by its very nature, it is impossible to know the precise size of the illegal migrant population within the UK and thus the Home Office does not seek to make any official estimates.The Home Office is following national guidance in relation to Covid-19 testing, as set out by Public Health England. Since quarantine measures were introduced in June, those individuals who are encountered illegally entering the UK have been placed in facilities where they must self-isolate for 14 days, given we cannot be certain which countries they have travelled through.Anyone who is symptomatic will be taken to designated accommodation and tested according to Public Health England guidance. An adapted regime is in place in our facilities to enable social distancing and reasonable restrictions are in place to manage the risks of Covid-19 spreading.Additionally NHS trusts have been advised that no immigration checks are required for overseas visitors that are known to be only undergoing testing or treatment for COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitlements-migrant-health-guide

Radicalism: Coronavirus

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the recommendations in the reportbythe Commissioner for Countering Extremism COVID-19: How hateful extremists are exploiting the pandemic, published in July.

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Commissioner for Countering Extremism COVID-19: How hateful extremists are exploiting the pandemic, published in July, what new financial provision and resources are being made available, and to whom, to prevent extremists capitalising on the impacts of COVID-19.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government engages closely with the Commission for Countering Extremism on their work on COVID-19 and extremism. After publication of their initial findings in July, we have supported further work undertaken by them on this subject.The Home Office has undertaken work to counter the spread of hatred and extremism during the pandemic, both online and offline, including working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council on additional hate crime support and community work and working with civil society partners and social media platforms to encourage victim reporting of online hate crime.The increased use of the Internet as a result of Covid-19 has brought into sharp focus the need to be vigilant against those seeking to exploit the situation to radicalise others into terrorism. We are working closely with tech companies to ensure preventing terrorist use of their platforms continues to be a priority and that companies are responding quickly to any emerging threats. As well as engaging with companies, we are working with our Five Country partners to deliver a joint assessment on the impacts of Covid-19 on the online process of radicalisation, as agreed at the Virtual Five-Country Ministerial meeting in June. We also continue to support efforts by DCMS to work alongside social media platforms to analyse and quickly remove Covid-19 disinformation content.

Radicalism

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatprogress has been made by theCommissioner for Countering Extremism’s legal review, announced in June, examining the effectiveness of legislation in relation to hateful extremism.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The work of the Commission for Countering Extremism is independent from government. The Government engages closely with the Commission for Countering Extremism on their work. We look forward to considering their upcoming legal review, which we understand is expected to be published in early 2021.

Radicalism

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the report by the Commissioner for Countering Extremism Challenging Hateful Extremism, published in October 2019, in the last year.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government engages with the Lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism on a regular basis and this includes discussing the report on Challenging Hateful Extremism that was published last year. The Government will respond formally to the report in due course.

Georgy Bedzhamov

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the fraud and corruption charges against Georgy Bedzhamov in the context of his application for British citizenship.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: I cannot comment on the specifics of individual cases.

Syria: Detainees

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women andchildren who have been detained in the al-Hol or al-Roj camps at any point since 25 November they (1) have withdrawn, and (2) plan to withdraw, British citizenship from;whether those people were subject tospecific charges or received a hearing before any such withdrawal; whether any of those people are now stateless; and what duty of care they have to such people.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We do not comment on individual cases.Figures for conducive deprivation orders, which are made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, have been published as part of the HM Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Four reports have been published to date in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020.Figures are provided on an annual basis and a breakdown for other time periods or for deprivations linked to specific locations is not available.Deprivation of citizenship will only be used when it is necessary and proportionate and is a serious step that is not taken lightly. Criminal charges or proceedings are not a pre-requisite for deprivation.When seeking to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the basis that to do so is ‘conducive to the public good’, the law requires that this action only proceeds if the individual concerned would not be left stateless.Requests for consular assistance made by individuals abroad, are considered on a case by case basis.Those who remain in the conflict zone include some of the most dangerous, choosing to stay to fight, or otherwise support Daesh. These individuals often pose a greater threat to the UK than individuals who returned earlier in the conflict.It is important that we do not make judgements about the national security risk someone poses based on the gender or age. Women can pose as significant risk to our national security as returning male fighters.

Communication Service Providers

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average timescale between information being requested by UK law enforcement agencies from communication service providers in relation to criminal investigations and that information being provided.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Home Office officials work with law enforcement regularly to consider what data is operationally valuable to them and how they may lawfully access it. It is vital that law enforcement agencies have the information they need to detect and prevent crime and keep the public safe.The legal routes available to law enforcement agencies will depend on the specific circumstances and the types of data sought.The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 allows the Government to place obligations on Telecommunications Operators to co-operate with Law Enforcement Agencies in providing specific data required for investigations.The Act governs these powers and provides extensive privacy safeguards and a robust oversight regime, including approval of the most intrusive powers by an independent Judicial Commissioner and the Secretary of State.During the parliamentary passage of the IPA, the UK Government set out, in detail, how IPA powers can be used, and continues to do so where appropriate.The information concerning average timescales for data being requested by UK law enforcement agencies from communication service providers is not held centrally by the Home Office. Each Public Authority authorised to acquire data under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 will likely maintain records of their own average timescales. These timescales may depend on the Telecommunications Operator and the urgency of the investigation.

Communication Service Providers

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current annual budget required to cover the cost of obtaining information, including IP addresses, from communication service providers in relation to criminal investigations.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Information relating to the cost of obtaining information from communication service providers in relation to criminal investigations is not held centrally by the Home Office.Section 249 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 recognises that Telecommunications Operators and Postal Operators incur expenses in complying with requirements in the Act. The Act, therefore, allows for appropriate, minimal reimbursement to be made to them to cover these costs insofar as they do not suffer commercial disadvantage for complying with their notice. All other costs are expected to be met by the Telecommunications Operator. Section 22 of the Communications Data Code of Practice sets out further relevant detail in relation to Communications Data funding.

Communication Service Providers

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many requests for information from the UK police and law enforcement agencies for information from communications service providers are currently outstanding for longer than (1) one month, (2) three months, and (3) one year.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office do not hold this information centrally. Each Public Authority authorised to acquire data under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 will likely maintain their own records.

Communication Service Providers

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government which communications service providers charge for information requests, such as IP addresses, from the UK police and law enforcement agencies for use in criminal investigations, and whether these include (1) Facebook, (2) Twitter, (3) Google, (4) TikTok, and (5) Parler.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: It would be operationally and commercially sensitive to discuss the details of any specific company and their support in investigations. The IPA, in Section 249, provides a statutory cost recovery mechanism stating that the Telecommunications Operator should “receive an appropriate contribution in respect of such of their relevant costs” (s249(1)) and that any payment may be “subject to terms and conditions determined by the Secretary of State” (s249(3)).

Communication Service Providers

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of which communications service providers do not (1) recognise, and (2) accept, the extraterritorial application of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; and whether these include (1) Facebook, (2) Twitter, (3) Google, (4) TikTok, and (5) Parler.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Much of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 has been replaced by the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. The IPA regime enables the extraterritorial application of our laws so that requests can be made both domestically and overseas. Whilst HMG cannot comment on the opinion of private companies, the IPA is enforceable through civil proceedings.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Mayors

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the robustness of (1) checks and balances on, and (2) scrutiny of, directly-elected mayors in England.

Lord Greenhalgh: All principal and combined authorities that operate with a directly-elected mayor are required to have at least one overview and scrutiny committee to hold the executive to account. Combined authorities must also put in place an audit committee to provide additional challenge and, although it is not a statutory requirement, most principal authorities do the same. Overview and scrutiny committees have powers to investigate executives’ policies and their implementation, call in decisions that have been made but not yet implemented, issue reports and draw attention to shortcomings.Overview and scrutiny arrangements are just one element of the wider accountability framework for local government. Other key elements include: independent audit, codes of conduct, complaints handling and whistleblowing procedures, statutory officers, and transparency of information and meetings. As with all government policy, we keep the accountability framework for local government under review.Local authorities are independent of central government. Ministers have no remit to intervene in the day to day affairs of local authorities, except where specific provision has been made in legislation. However, this does not mean there is no accountability for local councils. Local authorities must act in accordance with legislation and are ultimately accountable through the ballot box for the decisions that they make.

Society of Antiquaries: Rents

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in reaching a resolution with the Society of Antiquaries with regard to the rent paid for its premises in Burlington House.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Society of Antiquaries, along with four other Learned Societies, pay rent under the current rent agreement which was formally agreed between the Learned Societies and the Government following a High Court settlement in 2005. The agreement was also approved by the Charities Commission.

Travellers: Coronavirus

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatdiscussions they have had with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in the last six months to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government are holding regular discussions with representatives from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities to understand the issues they are facing. We have written to local authority Chief Executives highlighting the need to mitigate potential impacts of COVID-19 amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities and published online guidance for those leading a nomadic way of life. In addition we have announced funding for GRT children and young people to get extra educational support and launched the £25 million Community Champions scheme, which will fund local authorities and community organisations to improve the reach of official public health guidance about the virus into specific places and groups most at risk from COVID-19.The Government is determined to ensure everyone gets the support they need to look after themselves and their families during this pandemic.

Housing: Standards

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the support required by the built environment sector to adapt to the Future Homes Standard.

Lord Greenhalgh: We expect that homes built to the Future Homes Standard will have carbon dioxide emissions 75-80 per cent lower than those built to current Building Regulations standards, which means they will be fit for the future, with low carbon heating and very high fabric standards. These homes will be ‘zero carbon ready’, with the ability to become fully zero carbon homes over time as the electricity grid decarbonises, without the need for further costly retrofitting work.Some home-builders are already building to fabric standards above the current Building Regulations or installing low carbon heating systems, but it is important that all parts of industry are ready to build homes that are fit for a zero carbon future.Our October 2019 consultation on an interim uplift to energy efficiency requirements acknowledged that in order to meet the Future Homes Standard, industry will need time to develop the necessary supply chains, skills and construction practices to deliver homes that incorporate low-carbon heat and very high fabric standards.The consultation set out a proposed implementation timeline for the Future Homes Standard, with indicative timings for further research, industry engagement and a full technical consultation. We anticipate that the two-stage approach that we are taking to implementing the Future Homes Standard will help to prepare the necessary supply chains by encouraging the use of low-carbon heating in new homes, while accounting for the skills of industry and market factors.We will be publishing the Government response to the Future Homes Standard interim uplift consultation as soon as possible and this will set out a roadmap to the Future Homes Standard.

Cabinet Office

European Union: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow the EU to open an office in Northern Ireland; and what kind of presence in Northern Ireland the EU has requested.

Lord True: As is detailed in the Command Paper published on Gov.uk on 10 October, the arrangements we have reached in principle with the European Commission, are clear that there will be no EU Belfast embassy or mission. Instead, the arrangements we have agreed will enable the EU to exercise their rights under Article 12, including with appropriate access to the information needed to do so, while fully respecting the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.

Electoral Register: British Nationals Abroad

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether British citizens who are resident overseas and registered to vote with the local authority in which they last lived in the UK are included on the Electoral Register; and if not, whether there is an alternative national register of such citizens.

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of British citizens who are resident overseas and who can no longer vote in general elections due to the 15 year rule, since 2010.

Lord True: British citizens resident overseas who are registered to vote in UK Parliamentary elections as overseas electors are listed under ‘other electors’ at the end of the electoral register for each area/constituency.The Government does not hold statistics on the number of British citizens living abroad who have been previously registered to vote in the UK.

British Nationals Abroad

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government which departments hold information on British citizens who are resident overseas; and what categories of information each of those departments hold.

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangement each departmenthasfor dealing with inquiries from British citizens who are resident overseas; and whether all departments (1) have a dedicated phone line for, and (2) provide training to staff about how to deal with, such inquiries.

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many requests for assistance have been received by (1) the Department of Work and Pensions, (2) HM Revenue and Customs, and (3) other Government departments, from British citizens who are resident overseas in each of the past five years.

Lord True: This information is not held centrally.

Public Sector: Procurement

Lord Strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government which contractsthey have awardedthis year under the 'extreme urgency' provision of Regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 that do not relate directly to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord True: This information is not held centrally.Details of central government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Elections: Petitions

Lord Hayward: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the legislative framework governing the conduct of election petitions; and what plans they have, if any, to change any such framework.

Lord Hayward: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the integrity of elections, and (2) the time taken to determine outcomes of disputed elections, in England.

Lord True: We have a robust electoral system that commands public confidence. Electoral fraud is unacceptable on any level and the Government committed in its 2019 manifesto to introduce a range of measures to strengthen further the electoral process, including introducing a requirement to show identification to vote at polling stations and tightening up postal vote provisions to close off opportunities for fraud in the system.The current election petition process is designed to ensure certainty of election results and to avoid vexatious challenges by candidates or electors. The Government is aware that issues have been raised with the current challenge system, notably the high cost and complexity of the process, and will consider these matters further in consultation with stakeholders.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Africa

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to ensure that future trade agreements with countries in Africa align with (1) the Sustainable Development Goals, and (2) the Paris Climate Agreement, including committing to conducting sustainable development impact assessments for any usch trade agreements.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The United Kingdom has long supported the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and remains committed to the Paris Climate Agreement, as indicated by HM Government’s target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As we look toward our future trading relationships with all countries, including those in Africa, HM Government will continue to uphold the United Kingdom’s high environmental standards, and has committed to publishing a full impact assessment of all new free trade agreements alongside the full treaty text at the end of negotiations.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling: Young People

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Government Response to the House of Lords Gambling Industry Committee Report: Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry, published on 8 December, what assessment they have made of why the prevalence of gambling among those aged 11 to 16 has increased.

Baroness Barran: Data published by the Gambling Commission shows the percentage of 11-16 year olds who had taken part in gambling in the past seven days fell from 23% in 2011 to 11% in 2019. The 2020 survey was truncated by Covid-19, so is not directly comparable, but data has been published which shows a 9% past-week participation rate for England and Scotland. An increase in the rate of gambling participation amongst children has not been recorded since 2018, when it rose to 14%, from 12% in the previous year. The majority of gambling participation by children is on forms of gambling which are legal for them to participate in, including private bets with friends and family, or low stake gaming machines.The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. The Review will be wide-ranging and evidence led, and aims to make sure that the regulation of gambling is fit for the digital age. The government remains committed to protecting children from gambling related harm, and is inviting specific evidence on children’s access to gambling, including on children’s access to Category D slot machines, the effectiveness of age controls, protections for young adults and the age limit for society lotteries.

Gambling: Credit Cards

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Government Response to the House of Lords Gambling Industry Committee Report: Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry, published on 8 December, what plans they have to mandate a ban on all gambling transactions viacredit cards.

Baroness Barran: In April this year, new licensing conditions came into effect which banned both online and land-based gambling operators from accepting payments from credit cards (including via e-wallets) for gambling services. National Lottery products already could not be purchased with a credit card online.National Lottery and society lottery products can still be purchased via credit cards in retailers. Following the Gambling Commission’s consultation on the use of credit cards for gambling, requiring retailers to identify and block credit card payments for lottery products was seen as disproportionate since they are often purchased alongside other items as part of a wider shop. National Lottery retailers are also trained in preventing excessive play, and lottery products are consistently shown to be associated with lower problem gambling rates than commercial gambling products.

Broadband

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement on 25 November that their target for the rollout of gigabit broadband to householders in the UK by 2025 has been revised to 85 per cent, when they estimate 100 per cent of households will have such broadband; and what costs will be saved before 2025 as a result of the new target.

Baroness Barran: The Government remains committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Our programme for gigabit-capable broadband has made dramatic progress. More than a third of UK premises now have access to gigabit-capable connections, up from nine per cent when the government took office in July 2019. By next year, more than half of all premises will have access. We are working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025 but will seek to accelerate rollout further to get as close to 100% as possible.We remain committed to investing £5bn in bringing gigabit coverage to the hardest to reach areas and will continue to work with suppliers to accelerate this investment.

Journalism: Public Interest

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) promote, (2) encourage, and (3) support, charitable status for public interest journalism.

Baroness Barran: As set out in the response to the Cairncross Review, published in January 2020, the government has concluded that the current Charities Act system accommodates appropriate options for public interest journalism. Therefore the government has worked with the Charity Commission which has published advice on when undertaking or funding public interest journalism can be charitable. This advice also raises awareness of the more detailed guidance available for those publishers in England and Wales interested in pursuing charitable status.

Ofcom

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the technical capabilities of Ofcom to implement the Telecommunications (Security) Bill under the revised powers proposed for Ofcom in that Bill.

Baroness Barran: Ofcom will have the staff, equipment and resources it needs to carry out its role following passage of the Bill. Ofcom’s annual budget is approved by its Board and must be within a limit set by the government. This will be adjusted to take account of the increased costs it will incur, due to its enhanced security role.The National Cyber Security Centre will also provide expert advice to Ofcom in support of Ofcom’s role in the new regime.

5G

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of when the UK will have a fully functional 5G infrastructure in place.

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any possible future negative impacts of the revision of procurement plans in July on the UK’s 5G roll-out targets.

Baroness Barran: The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was clear in his statement to the House of Commons on 14 July that the position on Huawei will have implications for rollout, that that was a necessary cost to ensure the security of our 5G networks and protect our national security. We expect the sector to do as much as possible to minimise the effects of this decision, and the Government remains focused on the UK becoming a world leader in 5G mobile technology, and for consumers and businesses to see the benefits of 5G as fast as possible.Our ambition, therefore, remains for the majority of the UK population to have access to a 5G signal by 2027. To support this ambition, the Government is investing £200 million in a 5G Testbeds and Trials programme. The Mobile Network Operators are similarly focussed on rolling out commercial 5G coverage across the UK and, as a result, it is currently available in over 100 UK towns and cities.

Netflix

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions theyhave had with Netflix about the inclusion of a disclaimer to explain to viewers of The Crownthat the series is fictional.

Baroness Barran: The Secretary of State wrote to Netflix and outlined that while The Crown is a beautifully produced and acted drama, the company should be very clear it is a work of fiction. He also welcomed Netflix's continued commitment and investment in the UK.

Music: EU Countries

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce reciprocal arrangements for musicians from the UK to tour the EU following the end of the transition period for the UK's departure from the EU.

Baroness Barran: DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, companies, orchestras, individual musical practitioners and cultural organisations. We understand the importance of being able to tour. We recognise that this depends on musicians and crew being able to move quickly and easily between countries, taking necessary equipment with them.Recognising the depth of the UK-EU relationship, the Government has proposed that we seek to agree reciprocal mobility arrangements with the EU. These will support businesses to provide services and to move their talented people. On temporary entry for business purposes (Mode IV), a reciprocal agreement based on best precedent will mean that UK citizens will be able to undertake some business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The same would apply for EU citizens making business visits to the UK. The precise details, including range of activities, documentation needed, and the time limit, will be negotiated.